Chapter 1: Problem 79
A company that produces tracking devices for computer disk drives finds that if it produces \(x\) devices per week, its costs will be \(C(x)=180 x+16,000\) and its revenue will be \(R(x)=-2 x^{2}+660 x\) (both in dollars). a. Find the company's break-even points. b. Find the number of devices that will maximize profit, and the maximum profit.
Short Answer
Step by step solution
Find Break-even Points
Calculate the Discriminant and Roots
Define Profit Function
Find the Maximum Profit
Calculate the Maximum Profit
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Quadratic Formula
- Components: Here, \(a\), \(b\), and \(c\) are coefficients of the quadratic equation, while \(x\) are the solutions or roots.
- Discriminant: The expression \(b^2 - 4ac\) is known as the discriminant. It determines the nature of the roots:
- If the discriminant is positive, there are two distinct real roots.
- If it is zero, there is exactly one real root (a repeated root).
- If it is negative, the equation has two complex roots.
- Application: In the context of this problem, the quadratic formula is used to find the break-even points where costs equal revenues. By substituting the specific values from the problem into the formula, we found real roots corresponding to feasible production levels.
Profit Maximization
- Formulation: We formulated the profit function by subtracting the cost function from the revenue function. This yields:\[P(x) = -2x^2 + 480x - 16,000\]
- Types of Functions: The profit function is represented by a downward-opening parabola, indicating that there is a maximum point on the curve where profit is maximized. This is typical of profit functions that are quadratic, showcasing a clear peak point at the vertex.
- Calculation: Finding the maximum profit involves determining the vertex of the parabola, which is achieved by applying a specific formula for the vertex of a quadratic equation.
Vertex of a Parabola
- Vertex Formula: The formula \(x = \frac{-b}{2a}\) is used to locate the x-coordinate of the vertex, where \(a\) and \(b\) are coefficients from the quadratic expression.
- Maximum or Minimum: Depending on the orientation of the parabola:
- If \(a > 0\), the parabola opens upwards, and the vertex is the minimum point.
- If \(a < 0\), the parabola opens downwards, and the vertex is the maximum point, which was the scenario in our example.
- Practical Application: From the problem, the vertex was found to occur at \(x = 120\). This implies that producing and selling 120 devices maximizes the profit, allowing the company to achieve its financial objectives more effectively.